Best Places to See Fall Foliage in Chengdu

The suburbs of Chengdu is pretty in Autumn, most because of the glorious autumn leaves. Some of the best places to take in autumn foliage in Chengdu are listed below:

Mount Emei

Mount Emei

In October each year on Mount Emei, the sky is clear and the forest is colorful. October is the best time to enjoy the red autumnal leaves of Mount Emei. Late in the month, at Double Wells and Leidongping on Mount Emei (elevation over 1,800 meters), the maple leaves fall off the trees and fly around the hills. At this time, Mount Emei presents its best environment for tourists to enjoy the beautiful scenery of red autumnal leaves. As the Golden Week of National Day has finished by this time, not many tourists come to Mount Emei, making it a good time for climbing and sightseeing.

The best spots to enjoy red leaves include Wannian Temple, Washing Elephant Pool, Double Wells and the Golden Summit.

Mount Emei is one of the four most sacred Buddhist mountains in China, and it is on almost all the tour itineraries to Chengdu and its surrounding areas. See China Highlights' tour to Mount Emei.

Recommended tour:

Mount Emei tour: You will see the cute pandas, the romantic lanes in Chengdu, the Giant
Buddha cut during the Tang Dynasty, and Mount Emei.

Miyaluo

The red leaves scenic spot in Miyaluo is the largest and most spectacular area for viewing red leaves, and it is currently open to the public. The area is 180 times larger than the well-known Fragrant Hill red leaves in Beijing. At this spot, the mountains are rolling, the forest is immense and vast, the rivers cross each other, and the air is fresh. Along both sides of the beautiful Zanao River are viewing areas for red leaves, and they stretch along the river for several kilometers.

Every year in the fall, the red leaves up and down the mountain distinctly and gradually redden and bloom from the peak to the valley. The enchanting autumnal scenery of Miyaluo, the magic and charming Tibetan and Qiang style in Taoping Qiang village, and the fresh and pleasant springs of Gu'er Ditch all help you enjoy yourself so much that you may forget to leave. If you are fortunate enough, you will have opportunities to join the bonfire activities of the Qiang people, singing bold and simple folk songs, cheerfully jumping the Guozhuang dance, and drinking a few mouthfuls of Qiang wine. All of these activities will leave you deeply moved and will add a beautiful memory to your life album.

The best viewing time: From the middle of October to early November

Location: The red leaves scenic spot of Miyaluo is located in Aba Tibetan and the Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, 263 kilometers from Chengdu. The scenic spot covers an area of 3,688 square kilometers.

Transportation: You can take the long-distance bus from Ximen station or Chadianzi station. The journey is 260 kilometers and takes about six hours. A bus ticket costs 40 RMB (USD 6). Chartering a bus will cost you about 300 RMB (USD 45). There is no bus from Jiuzhaogou Valley to Miyaluo, so you can only charter a bus for this trip. Driving will take about 10 hours and costs 300 to 400 RMB (USD 45 to USD 60). Road conditions are fine.

Four Girls Mountain

Four Girls Mountain

Situated at the junction of Xiaojin County and Wenchuan County of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, Four Girls Mountain is the highest mountain among the Qionglai mountain system in the east Hengduan mountains. It is composed of four adjacent mountain peaks that look like girls with white voile on the head and a beautiful appearance. From north to south, the altitudes of the four mountains are 6,250 meters, 5,664 meters, 5,454 meters, and 5,355 meters. The four mountains are covered with snow all year round.

Four Girls Mountain is the main peak of Qionglai Mountain. It has steep and imposing ridges, glaciers and cliff springs, large and small lakes, a vast forest, verdant grassland, exotic flowers and herbs, and rare fowls and valuable animals, all contributing to a unique plateau scenery. As it presents the scenery of south Europe, the Four Girls Mountain is also called the “Alps of the Orient.” In the fall, the leaves on the trees blaze in color, signaling the beginning of the mountain’s red leaves viewing season. Moreover, the sea-buckthorn forest, which has stood for thousands of years on Four Girls Mountain, is a peculiar landscape. Every sea-buckthom tree towers and flourishes and has a diameter of about 1.5 meters.

Location: Four Girls Mountain is situated at the junction of Xiaojin County and Wenchuan County of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, 230 kilometers from Chengdu. You can take a bus heading to Xiaojin County at 6:30 am-8:00 am from Chadianzi station and get off at Rilong Town (in the center of the scenic spot).

The best viewing time: From the middle of October to early November

Road conditions: Roads are not good, as most are uneven. In addition to the highway from Chengdu to Ya'an, other sections are mostly asphalt and gravel roads.

Jiuzhaigou Valley

Jiuzhaigou Valley in autumn

Jiuzhaigou Valley has the most abundant colors in autumn. It can be said that the area displays all of the colors of the world. As soon as fall arrives, trees turn from green to yellow, and from yellow to red. More surprising is the water. A large number of large and small lakes, pools, and waterfalls are constantly changing colors, from red to orange to yellow to green to blue, and to purple, creating a dream combination of colors. You will almost not believe what you see.

Transportation: The Jiuzhai ring route from Chengdu to Jiuzhai Valley has been completed. Its east and west routes create a ring shape. The overall length of the route is 913 kilometers, with the east route and the west route at 400 kilometers. The trunk line is a cement road and the area is asphalt. A single trip takes eight hours. You can get a tour green card from Xinnanmen Travelling bus station in Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Valley. Cars start at 8 o'clock. There is a direct long-distance bus from Ximen station to Huanglong, Jiuzhaigou all year round. There are day buses (starting at 7:30 am) that leave in the morning and arrive in the evening, as well as night sleeping buses.

Jiuzhaigou is the most beautiful national park in China. If you love impressive nature scenery, you definitely should't miss a visit to the park. See China Highlights' tours to visit Jiuzhaigou.

Daocheng Echu Mountain

Daocheng Echu Mountain in autumn

Daocheng is a mysterious, pure, and desirable plateau. The red autumnal leaves of Daocheng also are mysterious and holy, and Echu Mountain is most beautiful in the fall. Every autumn, the mountain forest reddens. The red maple, green pine, golden birch forests, and distant snowcaps enhance the area’s beauty. This scene forms a large, natural, self-made oil painting with rich colors as beautiful as its name. When the sun rises, the entire mountain glows in golden light. Stand at the top of mountain and overlook Gongga Song Gongbu Mountain to enjoy spectacular scenery.

Transportation: There are direct medium-size buses from Kangding bus station in Chengdu to Daocheng. In Daocheng, there are taxis to every scenic spots.

The best viewing time: Late September to the middle of October

Location: Daocheng is situated in the south of Ganzi Zang and Qiang autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, 860 kilometers from Chengdu.

Chengdu to Shangri-La Driving Group Tour: You will see giant pandas in Chengdu, enjoy breathtaking scenery
and experience local Tibetan culture in the western part of Sichuan Province, and explore the lost horizon in
Shangri-La.

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